I saw the woods change color

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by Emanuel Geibel (1815 - 1884)

Translation © by Michael P Rosewall

Ich sah den Wald sich färben

(Sung text for setting by H. Schnaubelt)

See original

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: ENG

Ich sah den Wald sich färben,
Die Luft war grau und stumm;
Mir war betrübt zum Sterben,
Und wußt' es kaum, warum.

 Durchs Feld vom Herbstgestäude
Hertrieb das dürre Laub;
Da dacht' ich: Deine Freude
Ward so des Windes Raub.

 ... 

Da plötzlich floß ein klares
Getön in Lüften hoch:
Ein Wundervogel war es,
Der nach dem Süden zog.

Ach, wie der Schlag der Schwingen,
Das Lied ins Ohr mir kam,
Fühlt' ich's wie Trost mir dringen
Zum Herzen wundersam.

Es mahnt' aus hellen Kehlen
Mich ja der flücht'ge Gast:
Vergiß, o Menschenseele,
Nicht, daß du Flügel hast!

Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-2,4-6 of the original text.

Composition:

Heinrich Schnaubelt

Lieder-Album für Männergesang

Text Authorship:

by Emanuel Geibel (1815 - 1884), no title, appears in Juniuslieder, in Vermischte Gedichte

See other settings of this text.

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

ENG English (Michael P Rosewall) , copyright © 2025, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Johann Winkler

This text was added to the website: 2011-09-24
Line count: 24
Word count: 115

I saw the woods change color

(Sung text translation for setting by H. Schnaubelt)

See original

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

I saw the woods change color,
The sky was gray and mute;
I was as sad as death,
And scarcely knew why. 

Through fields of autumn shrubbery
Dry leaves were blown; 
And I thought: You were robbed of joy
By the wind.

 ... 

Then suddenly, a clear tone
Flew high on the breezes:
It was a migrating bird
Flying southward.

Ah, like the beating of its wings
Its song reached my ear,
I felt it as comfort
Wondrously piercing my heart.

With its bright call
The fleeing guest exhorted me:
Do not forget, O soul of man,
That you have wings!

Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-2,4-6 of the original text.

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2025 by Michael P Rosewall, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net

Based on:

a text in German (Deutsch) by Emanuel Geibel (1815 - 1884), no title, appears in Juniuslieder, in Vermischte Gedichte
- Go to the text page.

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This text was added to the website: 2025-12-08
Line count: 24
Word count: 120